


What of all those wayward priests?

by Anapneo



Category: Father Ted
Genre: M/M, My first fic, Pining, There will be some fecking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-02-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:08:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22946815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anapneo/pseuds/Anapneo
Summary: Set after the episode “Old Grey Whistle Theft”. Dougal is asking Ted why he lied to save Dougal.
Relationships: Ted Crilly/Dougal McGuire
Comments: 5
Kudos: 23





	What of all those wayward priests?

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever fic. I have read so many greats fics over the years and wanted to have a go at it. I’m rewatching Father Ted and I just love the chemistry between Ted and Dougal. This will have more chapters! Please be kind. This is my first fic and English is my third language.

Ted and Dougal laid in their beds. It had been an strange day. Father Damo, the coolest priest Dougal ever met hade been caught stealing Benson’s whistle. There had been a lot of commotion in the parochial house living room. When things happened too fast Dougal had a hard time keeping up. But now, laying in his bed and staring at Ted who was reading a book just a few feet away he realized something. 

“Ted?”

“Yes, Dougal?” 

Ted didn’t look up from his book. Expecting a loony question or remark from the young priest. 

“When you thought I had stolen that old whistle. Why didn’t you say so to Sergeant Hodgins? Why did you start talking about that strange tale with the horses?”

Ted put his book down on the small bed stand between the two beds. He shrugged a bit and looked at Dougal.

“Well you know, I didn’t want you to get into anymore trouble. I knew Father Damien was a bad influence on you. I didn’t want you to get caught in something because of him.” 

Dougal gave off one of his sweetest and most sincere smiles.

“Ah Ted. You really are brilliant. You’re really nice to me.”

Ted felt proud and stretched out a bit, nodding.

“Well of course Dougal. We are brothers.”

“What’s that you said now Ted?”

“You know. Brothers in Christ.”

“I really don’t think mammy or daddy told me about having a much older brother.”

Ted swung his legs from the bed on to the ground and sat up facing Dougal.

“No! I mean.. we’re friends Dougal. Close friends. We take care of each other.”

He tried to hide his impatience with the witless Dougal with a strained smile. Dougal sat up facing Ted. Their knees only inches apart.

“Ted! Your my best friend! But I don’t think I could ever take care of you. I feel like an eejit most of the time. I’m not smart like you.”

Ted smiled comfortingly at the naive and sweet man he shared his room and life with.

“Dougal. You have many good qualities.”

“Like what, Ted?” Dougal grinned keenly.

Ted furrowed his brows. 

“Well.. you.. you’re good at.. hmm.. I would say your biggest trait is.. hmm..”

Slowly the childish smile on Dougals face started to fade. His gaze fell down to the ground. 

“It’s alright Ted. I’m just eedjit.”

Ted got a ice cold feeling in his whole body. He was so used to see the dimple smile on Dougal at all times. Sure, he could get nervous and fret at times but he always bounced back to being happy almost instantly. Seeing Dougal this upset felt terrible. Ted put a hand on Dougal’s knee in panic just as Dougal’s eyes started to get watery.

“You’re handsome! You have really striking features!” 

Dougal looked up, hesitant. Ted patted his knee encouragingly.

“Your hair has a lovely shade of brown.. and.. and.. your eyes are always sparkling! And the dimples.. so adorable! And…” 

Ted silenced. He hadn’t realized it at first but the words trickling out of his mouth was true. Too true. They were thoughts he had buried in the darkest and most sinful places of his mind. Dougal wasn’t just handsome. He was the most handsome person Ted ever laid his eyes on. He was brought back from his thoughts when Dougal exclaimed:

“Haha, Ted! Dimples? Isn’t that those mad things we ate in China Town?”

“What? No Dougal those were dumplings.”

Dougal smiled again. His sadness wasn’t even a flicker in his eyes anymore. Ted felt his shock from his own words fading ways. Dougal started to flutter on about different kinds of food he had eaten. Ted didn’t listen. He just started at the priest sitting opposite him. Had he tried to save him from Sergeant Hodgins because he wanted to protect the younger man? Or because he felt a greater fear than he ever felt before when he thought someone would take Dougal away? But that must just have been the fear of being left alone in this house with just a senile, angry man and tea-crazed old lady? 

“I think you’re handsome too, Ted.” 

Ted snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Dougal. He was smiling dreamily at him.

“Wh-what?”

”I think you’re really handsome, Ted. I think about that all the time.”

They went silent for a few minutes. Ted looked down on his knees. The silence was intense. There was something between them now. Something Ted was scared to touch. Something very naked and fragile. He knew he should just turn around and say goodnight. He knew that he should tell Dougal that he only saw him as a brother in Christ. That they are priests and they have to follow their vocation. But he couldn’t do it. He closed his eyes hard. Pushing all thoughts about Dougal’s big eyes, dimples and thick beautiful hair in the back of his mind.  
Suddenly he felt a hand on his cheek. A warm and gentle hand. He looked up. Into those big eyes. Dougal started stroking Ted gently. Pushing aside some of his grey hair.

“You’re really lovely, Ted.”

Ted tried to open his mouth. Tried to tell Dougal to stop.

“What are you thinking about there, Ted?”

“I’m thinking.. that we should go to bed Dougal.” 

Dougal let his hand fall to his side and nodded slightly.

“Yeah, it’s getting late. Early to bed and early to rise gets the worm as the say.”

In silence they both crawled into bed. Ted put the light out. He felt hollow. Like something had been taken from him. His most private thoughts and yearnings had surfaced. And he was scared. But underneath all of this there was a small, warm feeling. It originated from the places in his face that Dougal had touched. It almost burned against the skin. Ted knew that everything had changed. He knew that he wouldn’t be able to keep his craving to himself anymore.


End file.
